Otis.

My brother's kitty Otis died yesterday. It was not expected... and the little furball left us way too early. It's a complete bummer.

When animals in our lives pass on it shocks most of us how much it effects us. They are the constants in our lives, but sometimes we can forget about what kind of bond there is with our pets. Life just does not seem the same when they leave us.

The world is a lot less fluffy without Otis in it.

Waiting.

Lately I seem to be surrounded by waiting. Waiting for baby to arrive. Waiting to hear from companies I've applied for jobs with. Waiting for the final day of my job to come, or a miracle to happen so I will not get laid off. Waiting for my Mac to get fixed. Waiting for LP's grandpa to get better. Waiting for the leaves to turn. Just lots of waiting.

I guess I need to look at what I am doing with my time when waiting. Am I sitting around wasting time and not being productive? Could I be getting more done? Am I using my time well? Am I using my time?

Guess we'll wait and see.

Obituaries. Pinot.

I have always read the daily newspaper. Where ever I lived. I picked it up from my father starting with the comics at an early age, and sealed it by my time as a paperboy. There is something about starting my day by flipping through the paper. In this day of immediate breaking news on the television and online I turn to the paper for other stories, or more in-depth looks at stories. And starting a few years ago I tended to read the obituaries first.

I am not a morbid person, but I often find the most fascinating stories about people in the obituary section. Most of the people I've never heard of, and some I just knew the name. For example, this morning one of the obituaries was on David Lett. I knew his legacy, I knew his winery, but I honestly did not know the name behind it. After living in Portland and being exposed to so many bottles of amazing pinots LP and I learned much about what we loved about pinots, but I never recall hearing the story of David Lett.

A couple weeks ago the Chicago Tribune change the look of the paper, a complete overhaul. The paper now looks more like the USA Today. Sad. The one change they did make that I like is the obituaries are also called Legacies. This seems to be such a nice fit since these stories have so much life to them.

Autumn.

Last Monday around 10:45am the offical start of Autumn arrived. My favorite three months of the year.  On chilly morning bike rides I always see people in shorts still gripping on to summer, and then those bundled up in so many layers getting ready to fight off winter.  Halloween.  Thanksgiving.  The World Series.  My birthday.  There just seems to be a calm in the air that beds under the excitement of the Fall.  Even when the economy is falling apart...  Even when my job is coming to an end... There is this calm that seems so comforting.  Time to pull out the hoodies and long sleeved shirts.  Time to make sure the umbrellas work.  Time to start thinking about those year end Top Ten lists.

This Autumn will be like none other.  This October will like none other.  Baby is on his way.  We are at the any day point... although the due date is not for another ten days.  I'm ready for a life change.  I am ready for a new challenge.  I am ready to make lots of sacrifices.  I know I might have to get another job to make ends meet... and I might have to get two jobs when I get laid off at the end of the year.  It's alright.

I've spent so much of my life doing what I want.  I worked to get what I needed, or at least thought I needed.  Sure, being married changed that way of thinking - but I am ready to give more.  I understand it will be like nothing I have ever faced... and even though we do not have family anywhere near us, LP and I have some of the best friends in Chicago that have become our family.  We are not alone.  We are far better off than so many people.

Here's to the end of a perfect Summer... and here's to the Autumn to come.  Here's to shedding some of the selfishness.

No Water.

Yesterday when I got home the water to our house was off.  The city has been doing construction on our street for a few weeks now replacing some huge pipe that runs the length of the block (now that's technical talk).  There has been a couple afternoons the water has been shut off, but they usually give us a day's notice.

I went to the front door to check for a notice on our front door, but there was not one.  When I looked outside I saw no workers.  Hmmm... this was not good.  The workers usually turn the water back on before they go home.  I called the city's 311 and the Department of Water got back to me in an hour or so.  The response was something like this, "Well someone must of screwed up.  Just hang in there and we'll get your water back on by 3pm tomorrow."  Tomorrow?

No water?  No flushing the toilet?  No brushing the teeth?  No shower?  No doing laundry, which I was really hoping to do?  No letting the cat drink from the the bathroom faucet? Let me tell you... you don't miss it until it's gone.  

I am a little ripe this morning.  A worker knocked on the door around 7am and said our water should be working, so they are going to have to to dig up the street again.  I am planning on washing my face and brushing my teeth at work so I don't look like complete hell.  Hope the water in on when I get home tonight.